Everything That Is, Was, Will Be
by Weltverbessererin
Summary: My take on season 3 before I saw it.
1. Chapter 1

Year

2163

The blood was rushing in his ears. He'd splintered to the woods like earlier. It was night, the wind pulling at his hair and the rain lashing at his face. 2163 wasn't that different it seemed. Cole barely noticed any of it just kept his eyes fixed on the bright lights and chrome towers of the time travelling town. He wiped the blood from his nose and started towards Titan. Somewhere in Elliot Jones's masterpiece the 12 monkeys were keeping Cassie. He had to find her and bring her home. He _would._

It took him a couple of hours to figure out her location. At the center of Titan, surrounded by the futuristic shiny skyscrapers was a huge brick complex. Every figure he'd followed had at some point come here. It had to be their headquarters. The guards out front didn't put up much of a fight, dying willingly in service of the Witness. He took out the hooded figures with his knife one by one, silently cutting the life out them. He advanced through the corridors checking each room as he passed. Rounding a corner at the top story, a strong smell of jasmine and lavender hit him. It seemed to come from the room at the far end, its massive wooden door standing open and a mesmerizing song playing in the background. He started towards it, anxious now because he just knew she was close. Without looking left or right anymore he ran.

And there she was, staring right at him.

"Cassie"

A huge weight fell off his shoulders seeing her sitting there like that unharmed. When he reached her he cupped her face, examining her and put back a loose strand of her wet hair. Something was off.

"Cassie?"

No reaction. She still looked at the doorway. Or rather she stared blankly through him. He shook her.

"Cassie!"

Still no reaction. Cole started to panic. He looked around the room. She was sitting on some kind of throne. Her hair and skin still damp and she was only wearing a dressing gown as if she'd just had a bath. The floor around the throne was covered in petals. On the little side table stood a cup and jug. He leaned over to smell the contents. Just as he thought: Tea from red forest leaves.

"Shit"

Cole didn't hesitate and swung her over his shoulder. They had to get out of here, Jones would pull him back in less than an hour and he didn't want to wait for that here where the enemy could find them. He made his way back without encountering a single person.

When he'd nearly made it out of the town borders he could feel the familiar sensation starting in his hand that meant he didn't have much time left until he splintered. He rounded the last corner and stopped dead in his tracks. The tall man was there and with him a few dozen hooded men blocking their exit, their knives drawn. The tall man smiled his crazy smile.

"Hello Cole"

Cole swallowed hard. This couldn't be it, he'd come too far to lose her again. If he didn't give Cassie the injection within the next minutes he would be leaving her here. He wouldn't give up even it meant he would be dying here. He shifted Cassie on his shoulder.

"Careful there, Cole. You have precious cargo", said the tall man and Cole felt that he meant it.

"What do you want from her?"

"Oh, you'll see. Take good care of them."

"Them?"

Smiling, the tall man moved aside, the others following as if on command and revealed gap in the wall. Cole stood there perplexed.

"You should hurry, Cole. It's time," said the tall man walking away.

Year

2045

Cole climbed out of the seat.

"How is she?"

Jones stepped away from the control panel.

"They took her to the medical wing, she seems to be under the influence of some kind of drug"

Cole didn't wait for her to finish and rushed out of the Splinter Chamber.

They had given her some fluids and said there wasn't much they could do except to wait for her to wake up, so that was what was he was doing. He sat beside her bed and held her hand. Jones came back to check on Cassie.

"She said something while they brought her here," Jones said.

"She was conscious?"

"Briefly."

"What did she say?"

Jones took a deep breath.

"She said she knows who the Witness is."

"What?"

"We need to ask her again when she's awake, splintering under influence took its toll on her," and with that she left them alone.

The sight of Cassie pale as she was, dark circles under her eyes and gaunt lying there attached to all these tubes and beeping machines almost made him wish he hadn't prevented the paradox after all. They'd still be in 1959. They'd live a happy life far away from all this time travelling bullshit. But most importantly... Cole remembered what the tall man said. Was it possible that… The first time in Titan before they were interrupted Cassie started to remember things. Maybe their actions weren't erased, maybe they weren't just memories and she was still pregnant. He barely let himself hope. What was important now was that Cassie was going to be okay. Anything else was just a bonus. He didn't care who the Witness was, not really. He sat back in his chair, letting go of her hand. Resting his head back and closing his eyes sleep caught up with him.

Someone touched him and he reflexively gripped his gun and jumped out of the chair. Realizing there was no one else in the room he looked down at Cassie. She was awake and smiled at him. His heart missed a beat. She was okay. Without taking his eyes of her, he pulled the chair closer and sat down beside her.

"Hey", he said.

"Hey," she croaked back.

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired."

She extended her hand to grab his tightly. He couldn't resist brushing her hair out her face.

"Then sleep some more. I'm here when you wake up"

"I know," she whispered. But her eyes were wide open.

"Cole?" she gasped as if she'd just remembered something.

"Yeah?"

She was visibly scared.

"I'm pregnant."

"I know," he answered gently. He looked down and stopped stroking her hair and face and took her hand in his.

"Look, Cassie, I know this is a strange situation for you. I just want you to know that you don't have to feel committed to anything. It's a different version of time and everything that happened in 1959 is only a memory to you…"

She touched his face. Cole looked up. Cassie looked at him very seriously.

Her voice was still cracked when she said "I love you in any version of time."

Relieved, Cole leaned over and kissed her, all the weight falling off his shoulders. For the first time, he felt the need to put his hand on her belly. It started to show. He'd never done that before. There was one more question he needed to ask, but he was afraid of the answer. After everything they did to her…

"Is the baby okay?" he asked, tense.

Cassie covered his hand with hers as her eyes fell shut, "I think so."

Jones had assembled everyone around the big table. Cole stood at the counter on the far end of the table.

"Turns out she was there for nearly two months," he explained to the others.

"Interesting," Jones mumbled and got up to look something up, "Time spans are different in the future, or maybe only in Titan or the Witness had something to do with it. For us, she was gone for less than a day."

Cole continued "They mostly kept her drugged and performed sick rituals on her and stuff"

"That's really interesting and all, but can we go back to the part where she knows who the Witness is?" Ramse asked.

All eyes turned to Cole. He shook his head.

"She didn't tell me"

"Well then we need to interrogate her," Ramse moved.

Cole became protective "She's still resting. We don't know what she's been trough"

"Neither do I," Cassie appeared in the doorway looking a little better. They smiled at each other. He wondered whether she was still under the influence of the leaves. "They actually treated me well as far as I can remember," she said while she made her war towards him, "Well, except for the part where they kept me on drugs". He touched her hip and squeezed her hand when she leaned on to the counter next to him.

"Who's the Witness, Cassie?" Ramse asked losing no time.

She averted her eyes her smile turning sad, "I can't tell you"

Ramse became furious, "What do you mean you can't tell us? This whole mission was about finding him. It was your idea. And now that you know you won't tell us? Whose side are you on?"

"Drop it Ramse," Cole shouted.

Ramse really worked himself up, "No, I won't drop it. She's bullshitting us. Either she doesn't know or she doesn't want to tell us because somehow she no longer cares about killing him!"

"I know you want to know where Sam is, I get it, I really do. But Cassie will have her reasons."

Ramse walked up to them.

"No, you really don't. You have no idea how I feel, what it means to lose your son…"

Cassie interrupted him "Actually, he does," Cassie looked at Ramse, "I'm pregnant."

A look of surprise went through the room. Ramse clearly didn't expect that and turned away, still angry.

Jones was the first to find her voice again "Well, congratulations are appropriate I guess," she smiled at them. More mumbled compliments followed and Ramse just stared at them in surprise.

"We could all use a break. You're dismissed," Jones declared.


	2. Chapter 2

Later that night Cassie retreated to her old room while Cole first sought the room he used to share with Ramse. It was empty. He didn't really know what he was doing, there wasn't much to see. Not a lot of his memories were linked to things. And then he'd never really owned much. So he just sat on his bed contemplating. He was going to be a father. And not just that, he would be the father of _Cassie's_ child. How on earth did he deserve a woman like her? Someone so smart and beautiful and gentle. His heart swelled at the thought of her and a smile formed on his face. _Cassie._ How could he face her now after willingly sacrificing their, but most importantly her happiness? If he was honest, he was afraid of what Cassie was going to say to him. The door opened with a squeak. Cole turned around to see Ramse poking his head inside. "Can I come in?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure," Cole answered.

"I wasn't a really good brother earlier. I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted" Cole smiled. He was glad they weren't arguing anymore.

"I can't believe you're going to be a dad soon," Ramse said.

"I know, me either," Cole answered. A slight panic crept up to him again. He was going to be a father. In this godforsaken version of a future. Ramse produced a bottle of whiskey. Cole gave him an approving look while he filled two glasses. Handing Cole one he raised his glass, "To James Cole becoming a freaking father. Who'd have thought that."

"Who'd have thought that," echoed Cole and drank.

Ramse settled in one of the chairs, "How long have you known?"

"A couple of days," Cole explained what had happened in 1957, how he hadn't been able to stop the paradox and how he thought he'd sacrificed everything when he got a second chance.

"You're a lucky son of bitch," said Ramse.

"I know" Cole frowned.

"Then why the long face? She loves you, Cole, I've seen it, don't doubt that"

"I don't. I just… don't understand it," Cole couldn't shake the feeling that he was inferior to her and at the same time there was no world or time in which he didn't know from the bottom of his heart that Cassie genuinely loved him.

"You never do"

Ramse thought he knew what bothered his brother and tried to cheer him up, "Listen: Yes, you gave up your future in 1959, but look on the bright side, man, it all still happened _and_ she remembers."

"Yeah. I'm really sorry about Sam," Cole tried to change the subject and also wanted to let Ramse know that he hadn't forgotten about his problems. Ramse just nodded.

"We'll find him," Cole reassured him.

"Thanks bro," he cleared his throat and got up, "Now, how come you're still sittin' here with me when a beautiful woman is waiting for you? Off you go, man"

"Thanks man", Cole said and man-hugged his friend before he left for Cassie's room still unsure what to expect.

Carefully, he opened the heavy metal door in case she was already asleep and looked inside. Cassie was lying in bed, still awake.

"I've been waiting for you," she said.

"Didn't really know what to do," he admitted, scratching his head.

She scooted over and held up the blanket for him. That he understood. He didn't hesitate and went to her, took his shoes off and slid under the covers. They lay there for a bit just looking at each other and nothing when finally Cassie said, "Ask me already."

Cole whispered, curious now, "Who's the Witness?"

She had a lump in her throat, "I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because you'd never look at me the same way again," she answered and the tears welled up in her eyes.

"You know that's not true," he said. He couldn't stand it when she cried, "C'mere," He pulled her close.

She tried not to let him notice that she cried, but he could feel her sob against his chest and held her tightly. He felt like he needed to say something, "Cassie, you know I love you and nothing, _nothing's_ going to change that. And if you don't want me to, I won't tell anyone. But I also won't push you to tell me"

She took a few deep breaths "Thank you." She smiled at him, then leaned her forehead to his, her eyes closed and a after a few more deep breaths she kissed him. She revelled in the feeling of his stubble against her skin, a sensation she'd longed for these past weeks without him.

"I missed you," she breathed. "I missed you, too," he replied. Desire and urgency welled up in her stomach and she climbed onto his lap. Her hands were at the side of his face and in his hair, his on the small of her back wandering down to her butt pressing her to him. Cole couldn't help but groan when she started moving her hips and rolled over so he was on top. He kissed down her neck and when he reached the cleavage of her shirt it was in the way so he pulled it up over her head and threw it to the floor…

They were lying skin to skin in the small bed, tangled up in each other just existing for the time being when Cassie realized she could not _not_ tell him. It was Cole. He was the most important person in the world to her and it concerned him just as much as it concerned her. Cole was half asleep absentmindedly stroking through her hair. She gathered all her courage and all the love she had for him and softly broke the silence with her lips on Cole's skin, "The Witness is born of two Travellers out of time," She didn't dare to breath. She could feel him frowning.

"What does that mean?"

She sat up, steadying herself with her hands on his chest. She looked into his eyes and said, "It's our son, Cole. He's going to be the Witness"

Cole blinked, uncomprehending. He sat up too, "What? How?" he paused to form a coherent thought, "How is that possible?"

Cassie was too exhausted to cry again, "I don't know. It's what the tall man said, he didn't really explain the details to me before he drugged me"

Cole was visibly shocked, the hand that had been caressing her arm had dropped to his side. She leaned closer to him, "Say something, please"

His eyes found focus again, looking at her face as he sat up. He touched her arm again, "I don't know what to say. I mean, obviously we need to stop that from happening"

"I don't think that's possible, Cole"

"Maybe Jones can help," he said attempting to stand up.

"We can't tell the others," Cassie said urgently, holding him back, "Just imagine what they'd do to him."

Cole thought about it and nodded, "You're right. We need to figure this out on our own"

He took her in his arms trying to comfort her and needing to feel her close in that moment. Then a thought crept to the forefront of his mind again. He leaned back, "So, does that mean it's a boy?"

Cassie nodded, "I think so". They both smiled and Cole leaned in to kiss her forehead.


End file.
